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Montrose meeting planned to review recycling options

MONTROSE — City officials are reviewing ways to keep curbside recycling a service for residents by offering incentives to entrepreneurs who want to make it a commercial enterprise.

Earlier this month, the Montrose City Council voted to cut the program to balance the 2012 budget and advised city staff to come up with ways it could be privatized. The city-funded program will end Jan. 1 and is expected to save more than $200,000.

The curbside recycling program was free to residents and money to fund that program has drained the city’s sanitation reserve fund, according to City Manager Bill Bell.

Bell said the city is hosting a forum to invite residents to sit on a temporary citizen advisory committee to come up with solutions to keep curbside recycling alive.

The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Centennial Room of the city offices in the Elks Civic Building, 107 South Cascade Ave.

Bell said the city is encouraging serious entrepreneurs to submit business plans that show a private industry could be sustained within the city.

“If they can come up with a business plan that works, we would offer incentives to them,” Bell said.